Police, VID officers must be educated on the dangers of smoking vehicles - MP

Chegutu MP  and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Dexter Nduna has asked the parliament to consider educating the police and Vehicle Inspection Department officers on the dangers of the smoking vehicle to the environment.

Speaking in parliament Nduna said there are 6 000 used vehicles imported from Asia, Japan in particular.  

"80% of carbon emission and carbon environmental ozone depleting substances come from carbon emissions, which come from automobiles. I make a clarion call that in the realm or in the programme of enforcement of the laws of this country that we also tutor the VID officers and the police, law enforcement agencies to the effect that the vehicles that are bellowing smoke like steam trains need to be outlawed from our roads thereby, protecting the ozone in particular Zimbabwe and globally in general," he said.

"I also want to say as there is compensation that comes to the developing nations because of the delinquencies caused by VW and Mitsubishi and other automobile entities or producers in the global community, Zimbabwe also needs to benefit in terms of compensation. We might not be the ones that are suing these multinationals because we do not have that capacity to sue them but we should also benefit from such compensation."

Nduna said those countries that are developed should not act like a bull in a China Shop.

He said they should remember that Africa in particular as a continent plays a very big role in terms of numbers as a developing nation the nation is still archaic and historic and moribund of development in particular as it utilise fossil energy such as coal and other antiquated ways of energising our communities.

"We are depleting the ozone layer hence a lot of resources should be given to the developing nations and Zimbabwe in particular and Africa in general.   I want to speak to the electrification of NRZ," he said.

"The Global Community has moved away from the use of steam engines as a mode of transportation in terms of the rail systems. They have gone onto utilising the electron magnetic forces and the electrification of their trains. This is in order to enhance the issue of environmental protection. I want to add my voice in this way   in that there should be less and less vandalism in terms of our electrification infrastructure when it comes to issues to do with NRZ."

He said at some point, NRZ used to have tracts and tracts and kilometers of electrified network.

"Alas this is no longer the same and I also, in the same vein ask for the Executive to make sure that they open up NRZ for private players to come in, who are going to enhance efficiently and optimally the network in terms of electrification so that we move away from the fossil energy, thereby reducing in totality the ozone depleting substances that is coal," Ndubna said.   

"I want to ask the Executive in particular the Ministry of Transport to expeditiously acquire the emission measuring units so that our vehicles are outlawed from the roads as long as they have emissions that are above and beyond the allowable emissions. That was we optimally protect our environment and thereby reducing our emissions that are dangerous to the environment."